YouTube channel The Bear Guy followed a massive female bear as she tracked down the scent of an elk carcass from over 3 miles away.
He provides commentary with captions throughout the video, and I found it absolutely thrilling.
Watching bears in their natural habitats is so cool. His camera work, and explanations of what’s happening in each scene, kept me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the video.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
The Bear Guy: “Late in Sept of 2019, while monitoring this resident female bear as she moved through the area, she caught wind of an elk carcass from about 5 km away. Watching her track and wind the air was amazing, traveling with a purose to get to her prize. At this stage she already was huge with about six weeks to go prior to heading for the den. She had emerged that spring with her three two year old cubs, they were dispersed with the help of the presense of a male who ended up mating with her. After the mating season she now had only one belly to fill and fill it she did. Getting to this carcass was going to top her off and ensure that she’d be having cubs that winter.
As she got closer to the carcass she started picking up the scent of competition as she wasn’t the first and only bear on site. A young sow with a yearling cub had found it first but was chased off by a good size young male, with contact being made as she attempted to protect the elk and her cub. In a quick squirmish the male dominated her without inflicting any damage. She retreated but would return when he would nap or head for water. With our big female now in the vicinity, she moved in on the carcass without any contention, with the other bears seemingly giving her, her space.
Over the next few days the four grizzlies took turns feeding without any further altercations, but it was the female that took down the bulk of the meat. Needless to say she increased in size and weight, having incredible fat storage for a healthy pregnancy and hibernation…..giving birth to two cubs in the den in 2020.”
